1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to product hangers and more specifically to printed product hanger construction to be used in packaging fabric products especially multiple pairs of socks.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Hang tags and product hangers are used in large numbers for hanging a wide variety of small products on the wire hangers of sales display racks. The hang tags have an opening, usually in the form of a squat, isosceles triangle, having an apex that can receive a single wire hanger and having a base broad enough to receive a double wire hanger.
Hang tabs are generally adhered to the box or package they support, and are usually formed to fold flat against the package they are adhered to, until the package is removed from a packing case and hung up for sales display.
Labels using pressure sensitive adhesives are well known. In general, pressure sensitive labels involve the label itself, a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a backing sheet upon which the label or labels are mounted. The backing sheet is usually coated with a release coating, such as a silicone, so that the adhesive coated labels may be more readily removed. Various types of adhesives may be used to coat the labels.
Prior art methods of packaging require the product to be packaged in a paperboard box or plastic header bag for display on a hanging rack system. Both of these packaging systems use a considerable amount of material. Prior art packaging generally consists of a wrapper having printed matter describing the product, or a label pasted on a package containing the printed matter. Additionally, a header, having a billboard laminated therein is used to close the top of the package and provides the hanger for a display rack.
One such prior art sock hanger comprises a band of plastic, printed stock, with an inner surface coated with an adhesive. The band is wrapped around three pairs of socks, overlapped and fastened at the opposite end of the band. A swift tab and hanger are then inserted in a sock to provide a hook to suspend the product from a wire hanger. An additional swift tab is used to attach promotional material making a total of five parts to the package.
Several prior art patents include a combination of hanger tags and packaging. U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,449 to Membrino discloses a linear strip of severable bags connected in a strip of severable bags connected in a strip, each bag having a selvage portion, this selvage portion being common to all the bags when in the strip. The bag or bags are connected to the selvage portion by a perforated line. The bag or bags are each provided with an open mouth defined by an upwardly extending portion of the rear wall, this upwardly extending portion forming a lip. Each lip is connected to the selvage portion by means of the perforated line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,299 to Hershey Jr. et al discloses a multi-panel outsert for attachment to a container comprising two or more longitudinal panels closed upon themselves by transverse folds and secured compactly by adhesively joining a spot on the inside of the outer longitudinal panel to an adjacent, outside portion of the outer panel which encloses and secures one or more other panels, affording increase printing area for the outsert with decreased likelihood of loss. An aperture through the panel or panels folded inwardly adjacent the outer panel allows such direct attachment of the outer panel to itself to effect the enclosure and securement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,491 to Shoesmith discloses a self adhesive mounting surface which has adhesive available, upon the removal of a release liner, in order to affix objects including, but not limited to, fabric, paper, plastics, yarn, leather, glass, and trims. The mounting surface is a heavy weight card stock paper, though it may be any material to which self-adhesives can be applied. The release liner, a material specially treated so as to be easily removed from the adhesive, covers the adhesive until it is removed. The object to be mounted on the surface is pressed down on the exposed adhesive, thus securing it to the mounting surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,274 to Beck et al is included as showing a laminated packaging material and the process for manufacturing the material.
Typically, socks are packaged and displayed by being wrapped with a pressure sensitive or other printed band around the center of the socks. A plastic or similar material hanger is then attached to the socks using a swift tack hanger. This current method has a number of disadvantages. Among these is the fact that multiple, dissimilar components must be used consisting of the band, the hanger, and the swift tack. These dissimilar materials make for difficulty in recycling of the packaging as well as well as requiring multiple steps to assemble the package.
Another current method of packaging socks and other products is a plastic bag with a reinforced header for hanging. This design has many disadvantages including using large amounts of plastic. Additionally, header bags take more space, due to their design, on a display pegboard system.
With the current efforts to reduce the amount of packaging materials used and thus reduce the amount of material reaching landfills, new and more efficient packaging methods are required. The current efforts are to make products and packaging "Green", that is, using a bare minimum of recycled and recyclable materials.